Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1887-09-03
RICE-THROwING AT WEDDINGS.
A Chinese Account of How the Custom
Originated.

A Chinese Account of How the Custom
Originated.
The Chinese Times gives the following YER
sion of the origin of the custom of throwing
rice at weddings: In the days of the Shang
dynasty, some 1900 years before Christ,
there lived in the province of Shansi most
famous sorcerer called Chao. It happened
one day that Mr.. P'ang came to consult
the oracle and Chao, having OWNED by
means of the tortoise diagram, informed the
trembling Pang that he had but six days to
live. Now, however much we may trust
the sagacity and skill of our family physician,
we may be excused if, in matter of life and
death, we call in a second doctor for a con-
sultation. and in such strait it is
not to be wondered at that Pang
should repair to another source to ma Ike
sure that there was no mistake. To the fair
Peachblossom he went, a young lady who
had acquired reputation as a sorceress, and
to the tender feminine heart unfolded the
story of his woe. Her divination yielded
the same result as Chaos in six days P'ang
should die unless, by the exercise of her
magical powers, she could avert the catas-
trophe. Her efforts were successful, and on
the seventh day great was Chaos astonish-
ment and still greater his modification and
rage, when he met P'ang taking his evening
stroll and learned that there lived greater
magician than he. The story would soon
get about, and unless he could quickly
put an end to his fair rivals existence
his reputation would be ruined. And
this was how, Chao plotted against
tween to Peachblossom's parents to inquire
if their daughter was still unmarried, and,
receiving a reply in the affirmative, he be-
fooled the simple parents into believing that
he had son who was seeking a wife, and
ultimately he induced them to engage Peach
blossom to him in marriage. The marriage
cards were duly interchanged; but the crafty
Chao had chosen the most unlucky day he
could select for the wedding, the day when
the Golden Pheasant" was in the ascend
ant. Surely as the bride entered the red
chair the spirit bird would destroy her with
his powerful beak But the wise Peachblos-
som knew all these things, and feared not
II will CO." she said; II will fight and de-
feat him."
When the wedding morning came, she
gave directions to have rice thrown out at
the door, which the spirit-bird seeing made
haste to devour, and while his attention was
the bridal chair and passed on her way un-
harmed. And now the ingenious reader
knows why he throws rice after the bride.
If any interest has been engendered in his
breast by this tale of the fair Peach blossom,
let him listen to what befell her at the house
of the magician. Arrived at Chaos house,
no bridegroom was there, but an attendant
was given her, and the two girls prepared to
pass the night in the room assigned
to them. Peachblossom was wakeful,
for she knew that when the night
passed. the Golden Pheasant would be
succeeded by the evil-star of the "White
Tiger" whose power and ferocity who can
tell go you to bed first" she said to the
maid. The girl was soon asleep, and still
her mistress slept not, but continued to pace
the room, and at midnight the tiger-spirit
blossom still pacing the room, while on the
bed lay the lifeless body of the little maid.
Thus were the magic battles of Peachblos-
som and Chao, and many more were there,
until they took their flight to Heaven, where
they reign as gods. And on earth the actors
have not idols more priced than those of
Peachblossom and Chao Kung.